Maes Glas Riverside - A shunting Puzzle

[Dad-1]

This I swear will be my last new layout, well last to be started although others will probably be on the go longer.
This is an extended, up to 60" long, version of Derry's Yard.
Derry's Yard a shunting loop made out of inherited Peco set-track components is fun to drive, but is unreliable and
from a using point of view tied to just one of my locomotives.
So what's the problem been ? Quite simple, really small locomotives at very low speeds trying to run through the
4 insulated frog set-track points.

Improved track the answer ? although to be sure of that I need to make 'Maes Glas Riverside'
The BIG change is moving to 100% home-made code 75 fine scale bullhead live frog points. I'm still in early stages
and there are problems ahead. I have produced a pair of crossovers, one trailing, one leading that will be the main
puzzle working points, then another pair of points to connect into a 3rd line.
This is the track plan with components just laid in place.



I'm expecting to work the points manually by Wire-in-tube, with the activating lever being a polarity switch.

Then to make life even more difficult I want to use under tracks hidden Kadee magnets. Setting this up can be a
nightmare. I know having already built 2 layouts using them and todays initial test confirms this is NOT easy.

The other rather odd thing I'm doing is using my own track separation with the gaps between running lines exactly
halfway between Set-track & Streamline. My attempt at making a one piece crossover in set-track spacing works well
enough



This one may take some time .............

Geoff T.

[Bufferstop]

This I swear will be my last new layout,

I'll believe you until you start another.

John W

[Dad-1]

John, at 82 in a few months time, time is running out - not ideas !!

So a video of Kadee testing.

https://youtu.be/OHkG1Gpb_vE?si=sa413LWddJmdzrM3

I have heard from a reply that Peters Spares do a 10 mm Lowmac wheel sets in brass.

My experience is that a bespoke set of wagons for each layout is the way for faultless
running. Trip tails for between the tracks magnets sit higher and don't necessarily work
on hidden magnets. Drop the Trip tails and then when you take back they heavily foul on
the between track magnets. At least I have enough wagons to go round a goodly collection
of layouts.

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Dad-1 wrote:
This I swear will be my last new layout

Oh aye...

Nice track plan BTW.

[Dad-1]

Slow progress as expected. Partially because I haven't got a crystal clear Idea of where
this is going.
Initially as a fine scale shunting puzzle loop. Then the back line was decided on. What
IS the back line ? Is it another siding, head shunt, or perhaps a branch line that runs up
the valley alongside the unseen river.

The latter caught my imagination. This means trying to hide the abrupt end of the board
in just an inch. Low relief tunnel entrance that starts as a covered section alongside a
siding where the line is fully enclose for that last inch, or if extravagant 25 mm (humour).
The hillside development will allow me to have a solid upright back onto which I can fix
my manual sliding polarity switches.
Then I also need to add an extension to the front, like about 1.1/2". This screwed to the
underside will allow a me to add a bank with reeds, the odd bush to better represent a river's
edge.

My messy work space and the outer track with a 60" track-setta helping to get a sexy curve.






Hey, this was just going to be a nice puzzle to drive. It's gradually growing in complexity !!
Ahh and today my Ruston DS48 "Gower Princess" arrived, match truck already removed. I
am now off to add a Zimo decoder- The last 6 pin direct plug one I have and I recall that I
have to shorten the pins slightly to get the snug fit needed with these models.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Gower Princess was bought with this layout in mind.
A deal at £79.95 that I couldn't refuse.





Neat motors



You have to trim the pins to get a snug fit, in fact to get a decoder in here !!





Had it running on address 03, but painted the wheels track grime and now have to wait
for that to dry before I re-assemble.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

The video :-

https://youtu.be/2-JgBs7zqNY

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Dad-1 wrote:
my Ruston DS48 "Gower Princess" arrived

Looking forward to seeing her working.

[Lofty]

Dad-1 wrote:
my Ruston DS48 "Gower Princess" arrived

Looking forward to seeing her working.

A few laps of St Oval will help to get her settled.

[Dad-1]

Very grumpy !!

I never managed to get the decoder in, a little more checking to do, but I thing Hornby have had a change of motor
to one that it seems doesn't give room for the decoder.
Anna's chassis fits, with the same decoder as has blown in this new chassis, where it was squeezed against the moto
insulation and penetrated it !!

I'm now struggling to re-fit the blanking plug. It was in when it came.

A re-think as to how I will fit a decoder - perhaps hard wired after cutting out the Hornby socket. Damn annoyed. First
decoder blown on fitting !!

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Wow! That's disappointing.
I had my cursor hovering over the 'add to cart' button on a Gower Princess in the Rails website but now I might wait and see if you encounter any other problems. I won't be fitting a decoder but still...

[Dad-1]

Hi Phred,

It ran fine in DC form, even the chassis with decoder ran fine. It's just that a "Just" fits
situation has been undone by a fractionally larger motor being fitted. I doubt that Hornby
even know !! It's the sneaky kind of thing that happens in China which is why anyone using
Chinese production need a QC team in China as once on the boat they will not accept ANY
responsibility.

Payment is made at Loading
Some defence standard components were not batch tested with no Certificate of Conformity. They wouldn't test, but would print certificates !!
I know of clothes samples that were accepted, production used a similar looking, but cheaper fabric. They accepted NO responsibility.
That is the story of China- They "Can Do", but need to be checked every step along the process.

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Good to know she ran well on DC anyway.
I can imagine a business arrangement with China would be a complicated affair.

On a personal level, I have tried ordering from China through eBay and other channels on occasion (just small amounts of money) but have mostly found that the item may or may not arrive and may not be anything like what was advertised.

I have had no trouble at all ordering from Hong Kong (China but different - so far) and other parts of Asia (Singapore, Japan) but mainland China... yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance.

Then again, others on here have had good experiences ordering from the PRC so maybe I was just unlucky

[Dad-1]

Hi phred,

Have her back on DC and I'd say she is probably the smoothest slowest running DC
fitted loco I've seen. Not that that's much because I started DCC and only ever just
test for a very short while before adding decoders.
They must be low geared as the top speed isn't very fast - neither should it be !!

Geoff T.

[Phred]

Dad-1 wrote:
They must be low geared as the top speed isn't very fast - neither should it be !!

Good to hear that she runs well on DC anyway.

One of my grandkids was not impressed with my Ruston/Hornsby because it wasn't fast enough. To avoid a long explanation of the purpose of a small shunter, I said: 'Well it's just a little baby engine.' She was satisfied with that.